Article compressing mechanism for wrapping machines



Dec. 14, 1943. o. SANDBE-RG ARTICLE COMPRESSING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPINGMACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1942 1N VEN TOR. Oscar flan/(1hDec. 14, 1943. o. SANDBERG ARTICLE COMPRESSING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPINGMACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WW p .m 5 at Q m\ $1 Q\ lE l m O Q Q \A. .-....-n..........n A Ff w mm m mw MN I IIIIIIIIIIuh nXZK Q, n QN Q \w w MM m \N Dec. 14, 1943.

o. SANDBERG 2,336,752 ARTICLE COMPRESSING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPINGMACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 14, 1943UNITED STATES ARTICLE COMPRESSIN G MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES OscarSandberg, Defiance, Ohio, assignor to Lynch Manufacturing Corporation,Defiance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 17, 1942,Serial No. 431,210 11 Claims. (01. 107-15) My present invention relatesto a compressing Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the feedmechanism for articles such as candy bars or the end of a wrappingmachine with my article comlike being Wrapped in a wrapping machine, thepressing mechanism applied thereto;

mechanism effecting a compression of oversize Figure 2 is a sectionalView on the line 22 of articles so that they may pass properly through 5Figure 1 showing the compressing mechanism in the wrapping machinewithout clogging it, the normal position, and present invention beinguseful in connection with Figur 8 is a similar sectional view showing awrapping machine of the kind shown in my it in compressing position.copending application, Serial No. 317,370, filed 0n the accompanyingdrawings, I have used February 5, 1940. 10 the reference character F toindicate generally a One object of the invention is to provide a frame.The frame Fhasapair of stationary rods simple mechanism which operatesin timed rela- Iii and E2 on which various mechanisms of the tion withthe Wrapping machine and is operable machine are mounted. One suchmechanism is 170 D S a Ov s ed Candy bar or the like an article conveyerincluding a conveyor chain while the conveyor which carries it towrapping I3 and channel shaped pockets M. The pockets position is in astopped position. I slide on supporting bars I5 which are sup- A furtherobject is to provide, in connection ported by transverse rods l6 and llon the sup- With an i te t y a e C y OI' porting rods it and I2. InFigure l, the pockets C y a a d t like, & p of p es plates I s aretraveling from a position where they re- Operable to gage the top andend of a candy ceive cards C and articles such as candy bars B bar in apocket of th v y f su h an y a in the direction of the arrow l8 toward aposition is oversize and would therefore cause clogging of h r th ardsand bars are wrapped within a the machine, the pressure plates efiectinga compail of wrappers, as fully disclosed in my copendpression of thebar to a size permitting ready ing application. passage thereof throughthe machine providing The mechanism for ratin the conveyer it is not toomuch oversize, safety stop devices of g is such t t Causes t tt movemycopending application taking care of bars ment of the pockets l4,whereas an intermittent which are still too much oversize after thepresmovement is also provided for k shaft l9, sure plates have operatedand effecting automatic which shaft rocks at a time when the pockets 4stoppage of the wrapping machine.

are stationary, as also fully disclosed in my copending application.

In some instances the candy bars B are too larg to be properly wrappedin the machine and if inserted in the pockets 14 would clog the conveyerI3-l4 or the wrapping mechanism of the machine. To eliminate suchundesirable operation of the machine, I provide a pair of pressureplates 2% and 2| for compressing the tops and Still a further object isto provide an article compressing mechanism operable to compress anarticle in a pocket of a conveyor to reduce the size of the article sothat it may pass freely between a pair of fences without dragging onthem and so that its height in the pocket is less than a predeterminedmeasurement, thus insuring that the article may be properly wrappedwithout clogging or otherwise interfering with the operation of the 0.ends respectively of the bars B. Articles such as g :g $fi objects inView my 40 chocolate candy bars either with or Without nuts ventionconsists in the construction, arrangement m tnem be sultgloly comgressad3 5 523; and combination of the various parts of my desure platefs F as0 re hth vice whereby the objects contemplated are atto lch wlll permitthem to pass t roug e tained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,pointed machme Wlthomf Cloggmg unless the bars are t in my claims andillustrated in the accom too much oversize. If after compression theypanyjng drawings. Although the invention is are still too much oversize,other safety devices susceptible of a variety of embodiments, it isunpperate t p the W app machlne, a shown necessary to fully describe andillustrate more In my pe d ng application referred to and 1n than one inorder to give a full understanding of another Copendmg appllcatlon,Serial 1 the invention both from its structural and funcfi d March 1942-tional standpoints. Accordingly, I have illus- For operating thepressure plates 20 and 2|, I trated a preferred and desirable embodimentof provide the following described mechanism: An the invention in theaccompanying drawings, in arm 22 is mounted on the rock shaft I9. It iswhich: connected by a link 23, a bell crank 24 and a link 25 with a bar28. The bar 26 has the pressure plate 20 secured thereto as by screws 21and is oscillatable on a stud 28. The bar 26 is retained on the stud bya collar 29 and is provided with an arm 33 whereby the bar 25 and thearm 30 form a bell crank. A link 3| is pivoted to a shouldered bolt 32which is adjustable in a slot 33 of the arm 30 whereby the degree ofmovement of the link 3| may be adjusted. The link 3| is connected with abracket 34 which in turn is connected with the pressure plate 2|. f

The pivot joints at 32 and between the elements 3| and 34 aresufiiciently loose to prevent binding during operation.

The pressure plate 2| is secured to an arm 35 by means of screws 36. Thearm 35 is formed on a hub 31 which is oscillatable on a stud 38. Thestud 38 is rigidly mounted on a plate 39 secured as by screws 40 to theframe F or some part rigid therewith, such as a fence 46 (see Figure 1).The pressure plate 2| has on its lower edge a thin bottom plate 4! whichswings in and out on a supporting plate 42. The plate 42 is secured byscrews 43 to the frame F, as shown in Figure 2.

Practical operation In the operation of my article compressingmechanism, when the wrapping machine is in operation the pockets l4 moveintermittently in the direction of the arrow l8 and while they are instopped position the shaft I9 rocks through one cycle to effect awrapping operation of the bar B and card C in one of the pockets M, asdescribed in my copending application, Serial No. 317,370. At the sametime the rock shaft l9, through the elements 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 3|and 34, moves the pressure plate 20 downwardly from the position ofFigure 2 to the position of Figure 3 and simultaneously moves thepressure plate 2| toward the right for compressing an oversize bar B asfor instance from the full line position of Figure 2 to the dotted lineposition therein, which is represented by a full line position in Figure3. The bar B is now of the proper size to pass read ly through themachine and the pressure plates 20 and 2| are returned to their initialpositions of Figure 2, whereupon the next advance of the conveyer |3-| 4takes place. Articles such as candy bars or the like may thus be readilysized for passage through the machine if they are not initially too muchoversize, as, of course, it is undesirable to compress the bars so muchthat they become broken.

During the compressing operation, the bottom of the pocket I4 opposesthe pressure plate 20 while a rail or fence 44 opposes the pressureplate 2|. The fence 44 has a bottom flange 45 to support the card C andthe bar B against bending downwardly at one end, while the plate 4| ofthe pressure plate 2! prevents such undesirable bending downwardly ofthe other end. After the bar has been compressed it is moved on towardwrapping position, passing between the fence 44 and the fence 46 on theopposite side from the fence 44. The fence 46 is so located that itgives clearance for the end of the compressed bar after compression hasbeen accomplished by the pressure plate 2 I.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an article compressing mechanism for wrapping machines, thecombination with an intermittently moving article conveyer havingpockets for receiving articles and conveying them to a wrappingposition; of mechanism for compressing oversize articles in said pocketscomprising a pair of pressure plates, one for the top of the article andone for the end of the article, said pressure plates being pivotallymounted for movement from a position spaced from the top and end of anarticle in a pocket, to a position engaging the top and end of thearticle while the pocket for the article is in stopped position, thebottom of the pocket opposing said top pressure plate, and a fence atthe end of the pocket to oppose said end pressure plate.

2; In an article compressing mechanism for wrapping machines, thecombination with a frame, an article conveyer movable relative theretoand having pockets for receiving articles and conveying them to awrapping position; of mechanism for compressing oversize articles in thesuccessive pockets comprising a pair of pressure plates supported onsaid frame for movement relative thereto, one pressure plate being forthe top of the article and the other one being for the end of thearticle, said pressure plates being mounted for movement from a positionspaced from the top and end of an article in a pocket when the pocket isstopped relative to said frame, to a position engaging the top and endof the article if the article is oversize, and means at the bottom andopposite end of the article opposing said top and end pressure plates.

3. In an article compressing mechanism for wrapping machines, thecombination with an intermittently moving article conveyer havingpockets for receiving articles and conveying them to a wrappingposition; of stationarily mounted mechanism for compressing oversizearticles in said pockets comprising a pair of pressure plates, one forthe top of the article and one for the end of the article, and meanstimed with the movement of said conveyer to move said pressure plates toa position engaging the top and end of an article in one of said pocketsWhile said conveyer is in stopped position, the bottom of each pocketopposing said top pressure plate, and a stationary fence at the end ofthe pocket to oppose the end pressure plate.

4. In an article compressing mechanism for wrapping machines, thecombination with an article conveyer having pockets for receivingarticles and conveying them to a wrapping position; of a singlemechanism for compressing articles in said pockets successivelycomprising a pair of pressure plates, one for the top of the article andone for the end of the article, and means timed with the movement ofsaid conveyer to move said pressure plates to a position engaging thetop and end of an article in one of said pockets.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with anintermittently movable article conveyer having pockets for receivingarticles and conveying the same to a wrapping position; of mechanism forcompressing oversize articles in said pockets comprising a pivotal axiselement parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyer, a firstpressure plate pivotally mounted thereon, means operable from themechanism for intermittently moving said conveyer to effect swinging ofsaid first pressure plate to a position engaging the top of an articlein a pocket of said conveyer which pocket is in stopped position, saidfirst pressur plate compressing the article with the bottom of thepocket opposing such compression, a second pivotal axis element in aplane at right angles to the plane of said first pivotal axis element, asecond pressure plate pivotally mounted thereon, means operable fromsaid first pres sure plate to swing said second pressure plate to aposition engaging the end of the article in said pocket which is instopped position, and a fence opposite said second pressure plate tooppose the movement of said second pressure plate.

6. An article compressing mechanism for a wrapping machine comprisingthe combination with an article conveyer having pockets for receivingarticles and conveying the same to a wrapping position; of mechanism forcompressing oversize articles in the successive pockets comprising afirst pressure plate mounted on a pivot axis parallel to the directionof travel of the conveyer, means operable from the mechanism for movingsaid conveyer to eiiect swinging of said first pressure plate to aposition engaging the top of an article in one of the pockets of saidconveyer, a second pressure plate mounted on a pivot axis in a plane atright angles to the plane of the first pivot axis, and means operablefrom said first pressure plate to swing said second pressure plate to aposition engaging the end of the article in said one of said pockets.

7. An article compressing mechanism of the class described comprisingthe combination with an article conveyer having a series of pockets forreceiving an article; of mechanism for compressing successive oversizearticles in said pockets comprising a first pressure plate, meansoperable from the mechanism for moving said conveyer to efiect movementof said pressure plate to a position engaging one surface of an articlein one of said pockets and compressing said article, a second pressureplate, and means operable from said mechanism for moving said conveyerto move said second pressure plate to a position engaging anothersurface of said article at right angles to said first surface.

8. An article compressing mechanism for articles being wrapped in awrapping machine comprising the combination with an intermittentlymovable article conveyer having pockets for receiving articles andconveying the same to a wrapping position; of mechanism for compressingoversize articles while in the successive pockets comprising a pair ofpivotal axis elements, a pressure plate pivotally mounted on each ofsaid piv- Lfl otal axis elements, a link connection with an oscillatablepart of the wrapping machine mechanism which oscillates in timedrelation to the intermittent movement of said conveyer, said linkconnection effecting movement of one of said pressure plates and saidpressure plate effecting simultaneous movement of the other pressureplate to positions for engaging two sides of the article at right anglesto each other, and stationary means opposing each of the pressure platesat the time they move to article compressing position, whereby thepressure plates compres the article if it is oversize.

9. An article compressing mechanism for a wrapping machine of the classdescribed comprising the combination with an intermittently rockingshaft and an intermittently movable article conveyer having pockets forreceiving articles and conveying the same individually to a wrappingposition; of mechanism for compressing oversize articles while in saidpockets comprising a pair of pressure plates mounted for movement towardan article in one of said pockets, link connections between said rockshaft and said pressure plates, said link connections effectingsimultaneous movement of said pressure plates to positions for engagingtwo sides of said article at right angles to each other.

10. An article compressing mechanism for a wrapping machine comprisingthe combination with an intermittently movable article conveyer havingpockets for receiving articles and conveying the same to a wrappingposition; of mechanism for compressing oversize articles in said pocketscomprising a pair of pressure plates, a link connected with anoscillatable part of the wrapping machine mechanism which oscillates intimed relation to the intermittent movement of said conveyer, a bellcrank connected with said link, a second link connecting said bell crankto one of said pressure plates, and a link connection between said oneof said pressure plates and the other one.

11. Article compressing mechanism in combination with an intermittentlymoving article conveyer having pockets for receiving articles,comprising a pair of pressure plates, one for the top of an article inone of said pockets and one for the end of the article, said pressureplates being pivotally mounted for movement from a position spaced fromthe top and end of said article to a position engaging the article ifthe article is oversize, said end pressure plate having a supportingblade under the article in opposition to said top pressure plate.

OSCAR SANDBERG.

